Mexico airline Interjet begins O.C. service

Interjet's inaugural flight from Mexico City approaches the runway into John Wayne Airport on Thursday. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Jonathan Cruz, 5 months, is a squirmy carry-on, as his dad and mom, Lucy and Eddie Cruz, wait at the ticket counter of Interjet. The airline celebrates its inaugural daily flights to Mexico from John Wayne Airport Thursday. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Lucy Cruz takes a cellphone picture of her 5-month-old son Jonathan, and husband Eddie Cruz at the ticket counter of Interjet. The airline celebrates its inaugural daily flights to Mexico from John Wayne Airport Thursday. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Cheerful customer service agents Sylvia Gutierrez, left, and Karla Hernandez help a traveler at the Interjet ticket counter Thursday during the company's inaugural daily service at John Wayne Airport. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Passengers bid adios at the Interjet ticket counter Thursday where the company celebrates its inaugural service at John Wayne Airport to Mexico. Introductory fares of $289 to Mexico City and $299 to Guadalajara will be available until the end of November, according to representatives. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Interjet customer service agent Sylvia Gutierrez answers customers' questions at the John Wayne Airport ticket counter Thursday where the company began daily service to Mexico. "I was nervous, but it's going easy and we're excited," she said on her first day. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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The flight schedule shows Interjet's departing flights to Mexico at John Wayne Airport. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Dennise Jimenez holds her daughter Natalie, 3, as Natalie's grandma, Flavia Trujillo, center, prepares for her Interjet flight to Guadalajara from John Wayne Airport. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Natalie Jimenez, 3, stays close to her mom Dennise Jimenez while her grandma, Flavia Trujillo, prepares for her Interjet flight to Guadalajara from John Wayne Airport. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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An Interjet service agent helps Salvador Jimenez prepare for his flight to Mexico from John Wayne Airport Thursday. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Interjet CEO Jose Luis Garza talks to the media after the inaugural celebration of service from John Wayne Airport to Mexico. MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

John Wayne Airport, which had no service to Mexico just five months ago, saw a second airline enter the market Thursday when Interjet launched its inaugural daily flights to Mexico City and Guadalajara.

Interjet is Mexico's second largest airline, but is a relative unknown in Southern California because the company's U.S. service previously was limited to Miami, New York and San Antonio.

The two daily Orange County flights mark Interjet's debut on the West Coast and puts the airline head-to-head with Air Tran Airlines, the Southwest Airlines subsidiary that initiated service from John Wayne to Mexico City in June. Air Tran also has a daily flight to Cabo San Lucas.

Jose Luis Garza, Interjet's chief executive, predicted his airline's low fares and good service – the slogan is "We give you more for less" – will win over customers not yet familiar with the carrier.

Based on a projected 80 percent load factor, he expects close to 90,000 passengers to fly to each of Interjet's Mexico destinations in its first year at John Wayne.

"It will bring prosperity to both countries," he said, during an airport news conference.

Garza acknowledged that Orange County might seem an unlikely choice for a Mexican airline to establish its first West Coast service.

"When we decided to come to this region, the Southern California area, we had several choices," he said. "But Steve Hannahs, the CEO of (jet leasing firm) Aviation Capital Group in Newport Beach, said, 'Why not come to John Wayne?'"

The airport's central location in Southern California, the facilities and the county's quick action on Interjet's application for service – approved in 45 days – made it an easy choice, he said.

County Supervisor John Moorlach used Thursday's event to do a little boasting about John Wayne's convenience.

He pointed to the lines at the ticket counter three hours before the Guadalajara flight's departure time, noting "they must be used to the LAX experience."

Most of the passengers got through check-in in about 20 minutes followed by about 10 minutes going through security.

Arriving passengers cleared John Wayne's new customs service in about 20 minutes, but that also included a little first-day welcome hoopla. Mickey Mouse and a Disneyland ambassador greeted arriving passengers from Mexico City and each passenger received souvenir Mickey Mouse ears.

Many of the first-day passengers said they booked Interjet because of its promotional fares – $289 round trip to Mexico City and $299 to Guadalajara through November.

"It was my first time, but when I bought my flight here, they offered a good price," said Gerardo Ramirez of Santa Ana, who arrived on the first flight from Mexico City. "And it's kind of good for me because I don't have to drive and LAX is too crowded."

He said he would fly Interjet again, depending on the fares.

Others liked Interjet's generous baggage policy – two bags up to 55 pounds each for free. That's what sold Bernice Arteaga of Baldwin Park.

"My travel agent told me they were free," she said.

Sara Nia, who used to drive to Tijuana to fly Interjet, was just happy to have a flight minutes from her Irvine home.

"Now my husband doesn't have to drive for two hours to take me to the airport," she said.

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